The following is a postgame analysis piece of the 103rd Big Game between Stanford and Berkeley, originally published in The Stanford Daily on Monday, Nov. 20, 2000. Stanford beat Cal 36-30 in the first Big Game to go to overtime, extending Stanford’s winning streak over Cal to six games.

Cardinal fans, celebrate.

Pass the security guards and their video cameras in Memorial Stadium with pride, smirk at the obnoxious Weenies along Cal’s Fraternity Row with silent egoism and celebrate.

And while you’re celebrating yet another Stanford Big Game victory, take time to celebrate the number six.

Sure, it might be numerology nonsense, but the number six was everywhere in this year’s Big Game festivities. Appropriately, here are the top six examples:

1) The streaks. Stanford increased its winning streak against Cal to six games, tying the longest streak in the series’ history. The previous six-game winning streak by the Cardinal ended in, of course, 1966.

Stanford head coach Tyrone Willingham also extended his unblemished record as head coach in Big Games to 6-0. Willingham’s solid decision-making over the past few years helped allow this year’s group of seniors, including “Trench Dogs” Willie Howard and Riall Johnson, to finish their Stanford careers without ever having to give up the cherished axe.

“I’ll always be able to say I never lost to Cal,” said Howard.

2) The MVP. Sporting his number six jersey, sophomore wide receiver Luke Powell took home player of the game honors — and for good reason. Powell’s 75-yard touchdown reception from Randy Fasani with 4:17 to play in the game broke a 23-23 tie, giving the Cardinal a much-needed cushion.

Powell, a player whom Stanford fans should get used to watching over the next two seasons, created all 75 yards on the reception. First, he showed his speed by turning the corner to beat Cal cornerback Harold Pearson. Then, after extending his arms toward the first down marker, he easily passed Cal safety Dewey Hale, who thought Powell had run out of bounds.

3) The opponent. Also wearing a number six jersey was Cal’s running back, Joe Igber. After being held to only three yards in the first half, Igber scored two touchdowns in the second half, wreaking havoc on the Cardinal defense.

Igber’s first touchdown run for 27 yards gave Cal its only lead of the game. His second touchdown run, a 9-yard scamper through the defensive line, tied the game at 30 and sent it to overtime.

4) The difference in the game’s score. Six points, 36-30, was all that separated the two rivals. A crucial six points they were. Fasani’s 25-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Casey Moore came on a play that had not been called all-season long.

“We’ve been preparing all this year for the right place and time to run this play,” said Willingham.

Good call, coach. Overtime of the Big Game? Certainly the right place, right time.

Moore, who wears number 33 (do the addition), has now played key roles in the past two Big Games, scoring two touchdowns last year and two more this year, including the game-winning reception from Fasani.

“[The pass] felt like it was sitting up there all day,” Moore said. “I was just trying to look it into my hands, because I knew I was all alone out there.”

5) Turnovers. There were six turnovers in all — Stanford with one and Cal with five. Cornerback Brian Taylor, who wears the number 15 (again, do the math), was an unlikely hero in the first half with two interceptions. His first interception off Cal quarterback Kyle Boller in the second quarter set up a scoring driving that extended the Cardinal lead to 16-7.

6) Total points scored: 66. Believe it or not, the 66 combined points put up by Stanford and Cal was the highest total in the 103-year history of Big Game.

So, six was the magic number for the Cardinal in the 103rd Big Game. Quite ironic, considering this year’s squad barely missed reaching the six-win minimum needed to go to a postseason bowl game.

But to the fans, coaches and players on Saturday, Big Game was the postseason, and Stanford was victorious.

So celebrate the win, Cardinal fans, until next year when the squad attempts to extend its streak to lucky number seven.

Too bad Willie Howard won’t be around.

Aaron Levine ’04 is currently the sports director at Q13 FOX in Seattle. You can find him on Twitter at @AaronQ13Fox.